By BECKY THOMAS
Staff Reporter
The Cheney Planning Commission approved an application to allow a planned unit development on 33.36 acres of the Terra Vista development to create smaller lots.
The application requested 2,000 square foot lots, much smaller than the 5,000 sq. ft. size required in Cheney code for the R-3 zone, which allows multi-family housing units.
Terra Vista developer Steve Emtman said the adjustment would allow him to sell 60 units as individual townhouses instead of marketing the attached single-family residences as apartments.
“It's a great opportunity for us to bring forward for the city of Cheney an affordable housing option,” Emtman said. “I think it's something that's very needed in this town right now.”
Emtman and Terra Vista consulting engineer Todd Whipple expressed frustration in dealing with Cheney's building code, and city attorney Stan Schwartz agreed.
“The PUD ordinance of the city does not marry up very well to the city subdivision limits,” he said. “You can only adjust it with the PUD, which is essentially a hybrid rezone. That's what's happening here … I'm not even going to say respectfully, your code needs to be tuned up.”
City planner Elisa Rodriguez responded, saying the building and planning divisions would look at amending the code after the comprehensive plan rewrite is complete, expected this summer.
A map of the development showed 60 units planned along Alki Street, some of which are completed. A new road between the development's wetland and Cheney Plaza Road was shown bordered by larger lots, which Whipple said would eventually be single-family homes with yards. But a large chunk of the proposed PUD, approximately 16 acres, was left blank. That area raised questions at the meeting as to what would be developed.
Whipple said there were no set plans yet, but that commissioners would see them when they were finalized.
“Right now we have an 89-lot preliminary plat and it encompasses all this here,” he said, indicating the blank area. “If you remember it's been back a couple different times with a couple different layouts.”
Rodriguez recommended approval of the application, since it met required criteria. Commissioners approved the PUD, as well as a preliminary plat for the area along Alki Street already being developed that allowed the lots to fall under the newly adjusted zoning.
The applications will go next to City Council for final approval.
Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
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